


Hidden Hot Spring

by KazueEmiko



Series: A Miqo’te and an Au Ra's Collection [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Coerthas (Final Fantasy XIV), F/F, Fluff, Hot Spring, Yeti - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27487303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazueEmiko/pseuds/KazueEmiko
Summary: There was a rumored hot spring in Coerthas Western Highlands. Crystal decided to search for it after talking to her friends, soon bumping into a few obstacles at said-location.
Relationships: Au Ra Characters/Miqo'te Characters (Final Fantasy XIV), Warrior of Light/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Series: A Miqo’te and an Au Ra's Collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915039
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Hidden Hot Spring

**Author's Note:**

> This actually happened in the game, minus the talking to her allies. It was a bit comedic to see this incident turn into fiction.

Coerthas was once a land rich with greenery and wildlife. However, after the Calamity, Coerthas was enveloped in a thick layer of white, forever cursed by an eternal blizzard. Countless plants and animals that thrived on the fertile land withered and died out. Accompanied by the thousand years Dragonsong War that raged even to this day, no one dared step foot in the monster-infested land.

Until recently. Thanks to the valiant and noble efforts from two Warriors of Light and their band of comrades, they were able to end the long and arduous Dragonsong War. Eventually, their adventuring continued, the same group of allies that followed them in almost every dungeon and raid.

“Hm… I think this is the spot…”

The Dragoon, sitting on her trustworthy Yol, flew over Coerthas Western Highlands. After visiting their allies, Rubia, Angel, and Mierna, at Falcon’s Nest, Crystal decided to seek the rumored vacation spot that was once a hot commodity before the Calamity.

Besides, they all needed some time off their duties, especially for Ainya and herself. She recalled the conversation she had with her friends outside of the Falcon’s Nest.

“It’s a bit hard to find, but it should be right around… here,” Angel said, tapping on the crumpled map in the Auri’s hands. The Miqo’te’s finger rested on the northwestern part of the highland. Her tail flicked as she continued. “Make sure to look close by the cliff. You might be going too far if you don’t see it.”

“I see,” Crystal nodded. It was as expected from someone who hailed from Ishgard. She stared at the map one last time before stuffing it in her pouch on her waist. “I’ll do my best to find it.”

“Too bad we can’t come with you,” Rubia’s ears drooped, placing her hands on her waist. She leaned against the chilled ledge near the Aetheryte, a gentle neon blue lighting her black Ninja attire. “If only we didn’t have plans at the Gold Saucer with Minimus, Gryffin, and Nexas.”

Crystal shook her head. “It’s no big deal. Besides,” she patted her own chest and smiled. “I’ll make sure the place isn’t frozen over. If it is, then it’ll save us all the trip to it.”

The last thing she wanted was to have all of her friends waste their time. Rubia crossed her arms, her ears still drooping. She tilted her head to the side and softly hummed. “You do have a point,” she murmured.

The group originally had plans to head to the Gold Saucer after an important operation from Doma. It was at a standstill, so they were granted a moment of reprise, though brief. Everyone in the group agreed to hang out at a place they were all too familiar with. After all, it was a place where everyone can be a winner, even if they did lose thousands of gil in the process of buying their tokens.

Ainya too accepted their proposal before she went on her simple fishing expedition near their home at The Mist, but Crystal had other plans, especially after their meetup today.

“Let’s hope it’s there though,” Mierna playfully slapped the Dragoon’s back. The Machinist soon winked after she gave another teasing slap. “We’re totally gonna go next time as a group!”

“For sure,” Crystal laughed. She adjusted her winter gear, the thick overcoat trapping her warmth, and ushered her mount to walk over. As her Yol approached, she glanced at Mierna. The Auri smirked. “You better dress warm though. Otherwise, we’re going to have Rubia cast Firaga on you.”

“Pu-lease,” Mierna motioned in the air. “I’m too COOL to be turned to ice.”

The Dark Knight chuckled into her fist as both Rubia and Crystal slapped their forehead.

 _Thank the Gods Ainya isn’t here,_ Crystal thought. _If she heard Mierna’s puns, she would be laughing for eternity._

It was crystal clear who finds pure enjoyment over puns in their relationship.

Crystal blinked. She curled her fingers inward, gently digging into her bird’s feathers. A fine, white mist exited from her mouth as she examined her surroundings. The clear night sky and easy weather with very little snowflakes were a blessing. Crystal pulled out her map again as her mount slowly descended to the snowy ground.

“Yeah… Yeah, I think I got it.” She looked up. They were standing on the edge of the cliff. The Dragoon peered down and raised both broths. Then, a smile bloomed on her face. She hastily rubbed her Yol’s neck. The creature did not hesitate to dive down into the hidden hot spring. And Crystal was not prepared for the hot splashes that soaked her entire clothes in one shot.

“YEOWCH!”

Crystal leaped from her mount and rolled a few times on the snow. She slammed her hands down into the ground, skidding to a stop. Patches of white clung to her wet clothes as she raised her head. In front of her, her Yol settled in the steamy pool of water, dipping his feathered wings and chirping with glee. A bead of sweat ran down the side of Crystal’s face.

“Did you seriously— You know what? Forget about it.” Unfortunately for her, she sneezed and felt a strong chill run straight down her spine. Crystal hugged herself and shuddered. Just because the weather treated her well does not mean the environment was. Coerthas’s frequent breezes blew against the small female, chilling her soaked jacket. Crystal’s teeth chattered as she rushed to the hot spring. “This better be warm!”

Pieces of her clothes were stripped. Many of them were tossed onto the nearby rocks, the now-naked Auri plunging into the hot water.

Crystal had only known the feeling of euphoria from a few events in her life. One of them always came from Ainya. The other was not dying in a raid. In this case, she can add another slot, the blissful warmth traveling throughout her entire figure. She sighed and sunk into the spring, the water reaching up to her neck. Closing her eyes, Crystal relished in the water.

This explained why her Yol went straight for the spring, unaware of the inconvenience he caused for his owner. Not that she can blame him now.

A few minutes ticked by and she still stayed put in the water. Crystal’s body jerked as she snapped awake, the drowsy spell nearly overtaking her. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

_Ah, I should let Ainya know about this place._

Just as she reached her ear and made a communication line with her girlfriend, a loud roar erupted in the background. Crystal whipped her head towards the source. Her eyes went wide. At that same moment, her device crackled to life, Ainya’s voice reaching her ear.

“Crystal, what was that?” Ainya asked. “Did I just hear a roar from your side?”

Another roar. Crystal struggled to find the words as she and her Yol stared at the group of white beasts.

“Y-Yetis…” she stuttered.

“Excuse me?”

“Ainya,” she breathed. “I don’t know where you are, but in Coerthas Western Highlands right now. I’m… I’m kind of…” As the footsteps stomped around the premise, her expression became wary. “Trapped with a bunch of yetis all over the place.”

“Oh gosh, what did you get into this time?”

“You make it sound like I always get into trouble.”

“Certainly! You’re practically cheating on me with danger every time we’re not together!”

“Am not!” Crystal cleared her throat and slowly inched away from the wandering yetis in front of her. She eventually bumped into the wet stony wall, her hands fumbling on it. The Dragoon quietly cursed under her breath. “Anyway, just come find me! I sent you the coordination!”

Their connection was severed. Silence befell the premise, save it for the occasional roaring and stomping from the yetis. Crystal furrowed her brows. Her Yol from nearby stared intently at the beast, the bird ready to flee at any moment’s notice. Next to her mount were her clothes. They were still wet… and it wasn’t going to dry any time soon.

Crystal sighed. She lowered herself even more into the water, blowing bubbles while soaking in the hot spring.

Minutes ticked by, and she noticed that the yetis want nothing to do with her, her bird, and the hot spring. Five of them marched around, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere that once hung this area. They pounded their chest and roared. This repeated many times over to the point Crystal stopped keeping count of their repetitive actions.

_Where is Ainya?_

She examined her surroundings. No one was here, and, clearly, Ainya wasn’t here either. Crystal rubbed her arms.

Another few minutes ticked by… until it became half an hour. The Dragoon shifted in the water. Those yetis had yet to leave, and Ainya still hasn’t arrived. When they roared once again, Crystal rubbed her temple, frowning at their presence.

They were so annoying. If they roar one more time…

Crystal nearly tore the hairs off of her head when three of them beat their chest and bellowed without any rhyme or reason. She stood up from the spring, ignoring her full naked glory, and extended her right hand out. A golden streak of light flashed and her golden lance was propped in her grip shortly afterward. Crystal tightened her grip. She stared directly at those yetis.

She exhaled. She needed to end this fast. Otherwise, she was going to freeze, the water turning into ice the longer she stays out of the spring.

The Dragoon twirled her lance until she held it in both hands. Then, she kneeled, her knees kissing the water. Steam lazily warmed her horns as she reeled her arms back. Her Yol hurriedly escaped with a few flaps of his wings. She grunted when the gust blew against her vulnerable body. Soon, with a battle cry, Crystal lunged forward, diving straight into one of the five yetis.

Blood splattered and coated the white snow into crimson. The tip of Crystal’s lance was soon coated with chunks of flesh from the creatures. Every stab, every slash, every thrust, she impaled her lance deep into their thick bodies.

“Take this!”

Crystal swung with all of her might horizontally. The blunt end of her lance smashed into the yeti’s head. A sickening crunch resonated as the creature howled into the night. Crystal was in the air, the blood coating her exposed body, as she applied great pressure to her weapon. The yeti stumbled sideways until it crashed into the snow.

It struggled to push itself upright. But Crystal wouldn’t allow that to happen. The Dragoon landed on its stomach. She twirled her lance again, swinging it over her head. Crystal brought it down with immense force. The wind whistled as she slammed the bladed part into its chest.

Even more blood splattered on her and the surrounding snow. Crystal hunched over and slowly, with the back of her hand, wiped the corner of her mouth, smearing the blood. _It was a good thing I wasn’t a Dark Knight in this fight._ She narrowed her eyes, examining her surroundings.

That was the last of the yetis. The scene before her was a literal massacre of the yeti pack. Crystal’s lance glowed and disappeared into the air. At that same moment, she heard a familiar sound of a chocobo.

“Crystal! Are you okay?” Ainya called from above. When Crystal turned around, she watched her girlfriend jump off her landing chocobo, running straight to her girlfriend. The Miqo’te pulled Crystal into her arms. Warmth, very different from the hot spring, honed into Crystal’s chest. When they parted, Ainya’s eyes scanned her lover’s body. “Those blood… they’re not yours, right?”

She sighed in relief after Crystal shook her head. Pulling her into another hug, Ainya rubbed her back, whispering, “I’m so sorry I was late. The Aetheryte I frequent was under maintenance by the townsfolk.”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad you were able to come at least,” Crystal said.

“Still…” Ainya gazed upon Crystal’s body again. Those curves… faint scars litter her body, with two noticeable ones. They were such a beauty though. It’s amazing how she takes care of her skin. Then, Crystal’s cheeks were as red as a beet. She hastily unbuttoned her large winter jacket, exposing her black tank top from underneath. The hairs on the end of her body stood up, but Ainya ignored it in lieu of Crystal’s wellbeing. “Please, wear this,” she said while dressing the small Au Ra. Still flustered, Ainya mumbled, “How the heck did you fight here without your clothes?”

“Desperate time calls for desperate measure,” she shrugged.

“Gosh…. what kind of desperation warrants you being naked?”

Crystal tugged on her girlfriend’s hand. She guided them to the hot spring not too far from where they were. Ainya’s eyes widened at the sight.

“How the heck is there a hot spring here?” she whispered. “And how is it not frozen over? Actually, you know what, how the heck did YOU get here?”

“Heard it from Angel. It’s from a rumor, so I decided to pursue it.”

“On our one and, possibly, only day off for this week? I thought we decided on the Gold Saucer.”

“Yeah, there's been a change of plan for me.” Another shrug. Crystal scratched the back of her head, motioning to her still-wet clothes. “Also, my clothes are wet after I found this hidden area. Which is why…” she pointed to herself. “I’m like this right now.”

“Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Not really,” Crystal carefully removed the jacket that, surprisingly, avoided getting tainted by the yeti’s blood on her skin. She folded and placed it on the rock nearby. Then, she dipped back into the water, a pleasant sigh escaping her. When Ainya stared blankly at her girlfriend, Crystal ushered her in. “Don’t leave me hanging in here by myself.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

They stared at each other for another moment before Ainya surrendered. She stripped her clothes, grumbling about the freezing cold, and joined her lover. They sat next to each other, their hands eventually finding each other. Ainya and Crystal looked at each other. Then, they smiled, their fingers intertwined.

“What do you think about the place?”

“Hm… very different from the ones at Kugane and Shirogane.” Ainya leaned against Crystal, softly humming. “Probably the cold makes it extra better.”

Crystal laughed and nuzzled against Ainya, causing the Miqo’te to purr. “Should we pray for the deities to make it snow in Kugane?”

“Nah, I doubt that’ll happen even if we pray for it.”

They chuckled. Ainya turned to her lover. The Red Mage soon gave her a quick kiss on the lips. They smiled, their forehead against each other, and Crystal returned the favor. Small, fleeting kisses that were more playful than passionate and romantic.

“You planning to tell this to our friends?” Ainya asked after they parted.

Crystal cupped her chin. “Hm… I’ll have to think about that.”

“What?” the Red Mage stared at her with a deadpan expression. “You have to think about that?”

“Yep. For now, let’s just keep this place as a secret between you and me.” Crystal squeezed her hand. “I want it to be a secret date site for us for a little while longer.”

Turns out, when Mierna, Rubia, and Angel asked, Crystal denied seeing the place. They brushed the topic aside and reasoned that the Calamity must’ve done more damage than they remembered. Though it appears that Angel has an inkling of why Crystal lied through her teeth. Regardless, she chose to play along, her smile aimed at the Auri for a completely different reason.


End file.
